1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a luggage storage structure for an automobile for storing a luggage in a storage concave portion formed in a floor panel, and a lifter for transferring a plate member for the luggage at least upwardly and downwardly.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, as this type of luggage storage structure for an automobile, it is known that a tray for storing a luggage is disposed in a storage concave portion formed in a floor panel (For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication (Unexamined) Tokukaihei-2002-240634). The tray is structured so as to extend and contract in a horizontal direction and a length of the horizontal direction is changed in accordance with usage purposes. In this kind of the luggage storage structure, an upper part of the storage concave portion is open and the luggage is mounted and removed in any directions as required on the tray at any time.
However, in the above luggage storage structure for the automobile, because the luggage on the tray is exposed inside the vehicle, the luggage or the like is visible from outside of the vehicle. In other words, the luggage storage structure cannot keep the luggage secret.
Moreover, when a thief or the like smashes the key and sneaks to the vehicle, the exposed luggage cannot be secured.
Heretofore, a known lifter of an earlier development transfers two links respectively from and to a horizontal state to/from a raised state so as to raise and lower the plate member with respect to the predetermined surface. The two links are connected to a lower position of the plate member on which the luggage is mounted. The two links are connected so as to rotate and form an X-shape. (Japanese Patent Application Publication (Unexamined) Tokuganhei-9-290995)
Each link is formed as the same length and linked each other at the middle point in a longitudinal direction. One end side of one link is connected with the plate member so as to rotate, and the other end is connected with the predetermined surface side so as to transfer in the horizontal direction. Further, one end side of the other link is connected with the predetermined surface side so as to rotate. The other end side is connected with the plate member so as to transfer in the horizontal direction. Each link is driven so as to transfer appropriately from and to the approximately horizontal state to and from the approximately raised state by a driving member. In the lifter, each link having the same length is linked so as to rotate at the middle point in the longitudinal direction each other, and the plate member transfers upwardly and downwardly.
In the above lifter, however, because the plate member transfers just upwardly and downwardly, the lifter cannot be disposed therein unless the vertical stroke of the plate member is secured. In other words, the lifter has a drawback of being unavailable, for example, in a narrow space sloped in an upper position, such as a loft of a house and a trunk room of the automobile.
In addition, when the luggage is transferred between the stepped lower horizontal surface and the stepped upper horizontal surface, the lifter is disposed on the horizontal surface of a lower position. In this case, however, a constraint requires forming an approximately perpendicular sidewall between the lower horizontal surface and the upper horizontal surface. In other words, for example, if the middle portion of the sidewall slopes at more than or equal to 90° so as to obliquely project, the projecting portion interferes the plate member. On the other hand, if the upper part of the side wall slopes at less than or equal to 90°, a gap occurs between the upper horizontal surface and the plate member when the plate member is transferred upwardly. Both cases undermine a transfer capability for the luggage.
Like this, because the transfer direction of the plate member is limited to just upwardly and downwardly, the lifter is quite inconvenient for practical uses.